Solar Physics Education
Research and Project Development for SPOT

The Sun-Earth Connection

"The Sun-Earth Connection" is the title of the SPOT show I am currently working on. This page serves as a resource for SPOT members and educators and will also provide documentation for the presentation and activities. If you would like to request a presentation, please visit the SPOT website (under Fun Links!). If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact either me or Angela.

Color Filter Activity

• Using different colored images of the Sun, students learn about the electromagnetic spectrum and how scientists use all the different types of light to understand the Sun.
• Adapted from the Filters Lesson developed by the YPOP Team.
• Designed to be a pre-presentation activity that allows students to explore the Sun on their own while presenters are still setting up.
• Materials: color filters (blue, green, red), images of the Sun, worksheet (optional).
• Demo:
  
  

Spot, Flare, Eject! Game

• Through this modified rock paper scissors game, students will understand the connection between sunspots, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
• Original activity designed by me- if you wish to adapt this activity for your own purposes, please give credit to SPOT.
• This is implemented during the SPOT show.
• Instructions: All students start out as "spots"- positioned with hands on knees. Still in the "spot" action, students pair up and play a round of rock paper scissors. If they win, they progress to "flares", where students stand up straight with their hands on their head. If they lose, they stay as "spots". Still in their positions, students find a new partner to play rock paper scissors with. If they start as flares and win the next round, they get to become "ejections", or stretched out into an X-shape. If they lose, they go back to being "spots". For the rest of the game, students keep repairing up and changing positions depending on if they win or lose. If they win as "ejections", they stay in the same position, and if they lose, they are demoted to "flares" again. Ideally, this game should last around 2 to 5 minutes.
• Demo:
  
  

Totality Dance

• Students model how the Sun, Earth, Moon system works to produce total solar eclipses.
• Adapted by Dr. Des Jardins from a NASA Wavelength Activity.
• Demo: Dr. Des Jardins' TEDx Talk

Solar Cupcakes Activity

• Students use their creativity and new knowledge to model different aspects of the Sun as cupcakes.
• Adapted from the Solar Cupcakes Activity developed by the Stanford Solar Center.
• This activity is designed for after the presentation on family science nights. It is meant to help solidify learning and engage the whole family.
• Link to Instructions
• Demo:
  
  

Materials for SPOT Presenters

• Jayde's Survival Guide to Being a SPOT Presenter
• Checklist for Presentations
• Supply List
• There are other resources and materials that I would like to keep private for now. If you need those, please contact either me or Angela.

Supplemental Material and Activities

• Solar Convection Activity developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science
• Sun Cookies Activity developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science
• Sun as a Star Activities developed by NASA
• Sun Activities developed by Stanford Solar Center
• More Sun Activities developed by Museum of the North
• Heliophysics Connections developed by NASA HEAT
• Images and Videos of the Sun developed by NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio

Last updated: July 28, 2021
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